Pontiac schools will be able to cover payroll through end of school year

Whatever the fate of Pontiac district in its current crisis, acting Budget Director Paul Bryant said there will be enough money in state aid payments to make payroll and keep the district open the rest of this school year.

The issue came up at a Pontiac Board of Education Finance Committee meeting Tuesday night attended by barely a handful of people.

Bryant said March and April state aid payments have already been freed up with the state approval of the district's deficit elimination plan, "and the district will be receiving (state aid) payments May, June, July and August,"

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"That, along with reimbursement of (federal) grants, we should be able to carry out the rest of the year," said Bryant, who is with Plante and Moran.

Other revenue efforts were also reported.

ITA Academy

Pontiac school officials are hoping to win enough in insurance claims on the vacant Bethune School to repair and renovate the building to become the new home of the district's ITA Academy for science, technology and math.

The district filed claims for theft and vandalism of the vacant school building and is waiting to learn how much and when the claim will be covered.

Pontiac Board of Education members and administration are pinning hopes for the future of the Pontiac district, in large part, on the success of the ITA, now located in the wing of another building.

The academy is seen to be the core of efforts to keep students in the district and bring back students who have left.

Assistant Superintendent Kelley Williams, who is acting superintendent since Brian Dougherty resigned, said the Board of Education will be asked at its regular meeting Monday to authorize the administration to move forward with the project.

Williams said she wants to form a committee of stakeholders to provide input into what the ITA should be when it opens in the fall.

"We are working on this seven days a week," said Robert Englund, director of facilities, who is optimistic insurance money will come in to get the building ready for the fall.

There is a waiting list of students who want to attend the popular academy, Englund said.

Danny Cyr, a business owner, suggested the board also have a back-up plan in case insurance money isn't adequate for the needed renovation or isn't awarded in time to get the job done.

Englund said additional revenue is being raised through ongoing auctioning off the semi-trailers and buildings full of equipment and other items from more than nine closed schools.

That online auctions began May 1 and have garnered about $13,000, and it will continue throughout the spring and summer.